Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 58, 8-10, 2005
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Original Article
A Six-Year Study on Vibrio cholerae in Southeastern Iran
Hossein-Ali Khazaei, Nima Rezaei1*, Gholam-Reza Bagheri and Abbas-Ali Moin
Zabol Medical Sciences College, Zabol and 1Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
(Received May 6, 2004. Accepted August 19, 2004)
*Corresponding author: Mailing address: Immunology, Asthma and Allergy Research Institute, ChildrenŐs Medical Center, No. 62, Gharib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran 14194, Iran, P. O. Box: 14185-863. Tel: +98-21-693-5855, Fax: +98-21-642-8995, E-mail: rezaei_nima@yahoo.com
SUMMARY: Cholera continues to be an important public
health problem among many poorer communities. In order to determine
the epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae in southeastern Iran,
3,594 patients with watery diarrhea, who were referred to the
hospitals from Zabol city and 45 neighboring rural populations
of Sistan-Blouchestan province, were investigated over a period
of 6 years (1997 - 2002). V. cholerae strains
were isolated from 362 samples (10.07%). Isolation of V. cholerae
in this sample decreased from 22.47% in 1997 to 0% in 2002. Individuals
of all ages and social and economic strata were affected. Among
the patients with cholera in the present study, only 24 (6.6%)
lived in an urban area; 270 (74.6%) of the patients had been referred
from rural areas, and the remaining 68 (18.8%) were from neighboring
Afghanistan. V. cholerae O1 Ogawa and NAG Vibrios
were found in 92.8 and 7.2% of patients, respectively. Among the
362 samples, 244 were collected from inpatients and 118 were from
outpatients. Twelve of these patients died because of the severity
of their disease, severe dehydration and electrolytes imbalance.
The priorities for cholera control remain public health interventions
through improved water and sanitation, improved surveillance and
access to health care facilities, and further development of appropriate
vaccines.